2008 NBA Trades

Houston sent Steve Francis, cash and the 2009 Memphis second-round pick to the Grizzlies for a conditional 2011 second-rounder in December 2008. The 2011 condition never conveyed. Memphis drafted Sam Young at No. 36 and received 179 regular-season games from him across 2009-12, with 46 starts in 2010-11 alone; Francis was waived without a Grizzlies appearance. Grizzlies Win, Memphis A-, Houston D.

Charlotte acquired Boris Diaw; Raja Bell; Sean Singletary from Phoenix Suns for Jason Richardson; Jared Dudley; 2010 second round pick (#46-Gani Lawal).

The realized value slightly favors Warriors. The Warriors acquired Jamal Crawford from New York Knicks for Al Harrington.

Los Angeles Clippers captured the stronger realized return in the 2008-11-21 transaction with New York Knicks, led by Zach Randolph; Mardy Collins.

Denver received Chauncey Billups; Antonio McDyess; Cheikh Samb from Detroit Pistons, sending Allen Iverson in return.

Dallas received Shawne Williams from Indiana Pacers and sent Eddie Jones; 2009 second-round pick (#52-A.J. Price); 2010 or 2011 second-round pick (Mavericks option) (2010 #57-Ryan Reid); ~$1.8M cash in return.

Houston sent the rights to Patrick Ewing Jr. to New York on August 29, 2008, receiving the long-held draft rights to French center Frédéric Weis. The Knicks released Ewing Jr. after preseason competition without a regular-season Knicks appearance; Weis never played in the NBA for Houston. Ewing Jr. subsequently debuted in the league with New Orleans in 2011. Even Trade, D+ each, overturning the unsupported Knicks A grade.

The 2008-08-25 exchange produced broadly comparable realized value: D.J. Strawberry for Sean Singletary.

Houston Rockets received Metta World Peace; Sean Singletary; Patrick Ewing Jr. Sacramento Kings received Bobby Jackson; Donte Greene; first-round pick (protected top 14 in 2009-10, top 10 in 2011-12, top 5 in 2013, top 3 in 2014, unprotected in 2015) (2009 #23-Omri Casspi); $1M cash.

Cleveland acquired Mo Williams from Milwaukee in an August 2008 multi-team trade, with Milwaukee receiving Damon Jones and the Seattle SuperSonics franchise gaining Joe Smith. Williams became an NBA All-Star playing alongside LeBron James and supplied sustained Cavaliers backcourt scoring. The inherited Cavaliers Win grades Cleveland A, Milwaukee D and the Seattle/Oklahoma City franchise D.

Charlotte acquired 2009 second round pick (#40-Derrick Brown) from Seattle SuperSonics for rights to Kyle Weaver.

Houston traded Steve Novak to the Clippers on August 6, 2008 for the right to swap 2011 second-round selections. The resulting exchange placed No. 38 Chandler Parsons with Houston and No. 47 Travis Leslie with Los Angeles, per Pro Sports Transactions and ShamSports; Basketball-Reference conflictingly labels it 'not exercised.' Parsons became a multi-season Rockets starter after a separate draft-night rights transfer via Minnesota. Novak played 125 Clippers regular-season games in two years. Rockets Win, Houston A-, Clippers B.

Denver received Renaldo Balkman; cash considerations from New York Knicks, sending Taurean Green; Bobby Jones; 2010 second-round pick (#38-Andy Rautins) in return.

Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz produced broadly comparable realized value in the 2008-07-23 exchange: Jason Hart for Brevin Knight.

The Nets acquired Keyon Dooling from Magic in exchange for cash considerations.

Denver received Nuggets' option to swap 2010 second-round picks with Clippers (#38-Andy Rautins) from Los Angeles Clippers, sending Marcus Camby; Nuggets' option to swap 2010 second-round picks with Clippers (#54-Willie Warren) in return.

Indiana converted the rights to Jerryd Bayless and Ike Diogu into Brandon Rush, Jarrett Jack, Josh McRoberts and cash, adding several useful rotation pieces.

Indiana traded Jermaine O'Neal and the rights to Nathan Jawai to Toronto for T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston and the rights to Roy Hibbert. Hibbert became a two-time All-Star and the defensive center of consecutive conference-finals teams, while O'Neal lasted only part of one season in Toronto.

Minnesota absorbed Rodney Carney and Calvin Booth and received cash plus a protected first that eventually conveyed in 2010, while Philadelphia received a top-55-protected second that never conveyed. The Timberwolves won the asset return, but Philadelphia’s side was a deliberate salary-clearing move that helped create the cap room used in its 2008 free-agent push, so the prior F grade overstated the loss.

The Nets acquired Jianlian Yi; Bobby Simmons from Bucks in exchange for Richard Jefferson.

Boston acquired the draft rights to Bill Walker from Washington in June 2008 for cash. Walker played briefly for the Celtics before receiving larger opportunities elsewhere, while Washington obtained money rather than an incoming NBA player. The inherited Celtics Win assigns Boston B- and the Wizards C.

Chicago obtained the draft rights to Turkish center Ömer Aşık through a June 2008 three-team agreement involving Portland and Denver. Denver received draft rights to Sonny Weems from Chicago, while the Trail Blazers acquired two Bulls future second-round rights and a 2009 Nuggets second later used on Patty Mills. Aşık later played meaningful defense for Chicago. The inherited Bulls Win grades Chicago B+ and both Denver and Portland B-.

Cleveland acquired rights to Darnell Jackson for 2009 second round pick (less favorable of Bulls and Cavaliers picks) (#60-Robert Dozier); the completed outcomes give the Cavaliers a modest realized-value edge.

Cleveland exchanged cash for rights to Sasha Kaun, with the two sides generating broadly comparable realized value.

Detroit traded first-round pick No. 29 D.J. White on June 26, 2008 to Seattle in exchange for the rights to Walter Sharpe (No. 32) and Trent Plaisted (No. 46). White eventually played NBA games for the relocated Oklahoma City club, while Sharpe made just eight Detroit regular-season appearances totaling 20 minutes and Plaisted never played in the league. The original Detroit-winning verdict overstated two unused assets. Thunder Win in the franchise model, Oklahoma City B-, Detroit D+.

The 2008-06-26 trade leans slightly toward Portland Trail Blazers, although Los Angeles Clippers still received useful value led by rights to Mike Taylor.

Minnesota exchanged O.J. Mayo’s draft rights and three veteran contracts for Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins, acquiring the only long-term franchise cornerstone and the strongest established player in the package.

Miami bought the rights to Mario Chalmers for two second-round picks and cash, landing a future championship starter at a modest acquisition cost.

On June 26, 2008, the New Orleans Hornets sold the rights to No. 27 Darrell Arthur to Portland for cash. Portland immediately used those rights in a three-team exchange involving Houston and Memphis to acquire Nicolas Batum's rights, with additional players and picks changing hands. Arthur played his NBA career for other franchises rather than Portland. The Blazers benefited from the transferable draft rights but the Batum result cannot be attributed solely to this cash purchase. Blazers Win, Portland B+, New Orleans C.

On June 26, 2008, the Phoenix Suns acquired rights to Goran Dragic from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for rights to Malik Hairston; 2009 second-round pick (#37-DeJuan Blair); cash.

On June 25, 2008, Charlotte's Bobcats acquired the No. 20 draft selection used on Alexis Ajinça from Denver in exchange for a protected future first-round pick. Ajinça appeared in 31 Charlotte games in 2008-09 and six in 2009-10, totaling 37 games and ten career NBA points the latter season. The protected pick conveyed in 2010 as No. 16 Luke Babbitt but Denver had moved the right through Minnesota before Portland eventually selected Babbitt. Denver gained a transferable first-round asset, not Babbitt's playing time. Nuggets Win, Denver B-, Charlotte C.

At the February 2008 deadline Chicago acquired Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Shannon Brown and Cedric Simmons in a three-team trade involving Cleveland and Seattle. Cleveland gained Ben Wallace and Joe Smith, while the SuperSonics acquired Adrian Griffin. Wallace and Smith helped address Cleveland's immediate frontcourt needs. The inherited slight Cavaliers edge grades Cleveland B+, Seattle B+ and Chicago C+.

Denver acquired Taurean Green from Portland Trail Blazers for Von Wafer.

Detroit acquired Juan Dixon from Toronto Raptors for Primoz Brezec; cash.

Houston traded Kirk Snyder, cash and a 2010 second-round pick to Minnesota for Gerald Green on February 21, 2008. Green played one Rockets game, four minutes and six points before being waived March 8. Snyder made 27 Timberwolves appearances, including 18 starts, scoring roughly 8.4 per game and logging 680 minutes. The pick was used on No. 45 Paulo Prestes, who never played Minnesota NBA games. Wolves Win, Minnesota B+, Houston D+.

Seattle moved veteran Kurt Thomas to San Antonio for two expiring veterans and a protected first, converting a short-term player into additional draft capital during the rebuild.

The Nets acquired Devin Harris; DeSagana Diop; Trenton Hassell; Maurice Ager; Keith Van Horn; 2008 first-round pick (lottery protected) (#21, Ryan Anderson); 2010 first-round pick (#27, Jordan Crawford); $3M cash considerations from Mavericks in exchange for Jason Kidd; Malik Allen; Antoine Wright.

Atlanta acquired veteran point guard Mike Bibby from Sacramento on February 16, 2008, sending four players and a second-round pick. Bibby became the Hawks' starting organizer during their return to the playoffs and remained with the club for several seasons. Sacramento's multiple incoming veterans proved less enduring. Hawks Win, Atlanta B+ versus Sacramento D.

Miami used Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to reset an aging roster and preserve another trade path, while Phoenix received a strong but short All-Star resurgence from Shaquille O’Neal.

The Nets acquired Stromile Swift from Grizzlies in exchange for Jason Collins; cash.

Los Angeles acquired Pau Gasol without breaking up its core and reached three straight NBA Finals, winning in 2009 and 2010; Memphis received the draft rights to Marc Gasol, two firsts, prospects and financial flexibility.